Clothes-line



- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. v

H. E. PEBJCIVAL. CLOTHES LINE.

No. 416,854. Patented Dec. 10; 1889.

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2 Sheets-Sheet '2.

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H. E. PERGIVAL.

CLOTHES LINE. No.,- 4l6,854. Patented Dec. -10, 1889..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC HERBERT E. PERGIVAL, on LYNN, .ASSIGNOR, BY I EoT Ann MEsNE AssIeNMENTs, TO EDMUND CONVERSE, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLOTHES-LINE.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,854, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filedMarch 12, 1888. Renewed September 27, 1889. Serial No. 325,245- (No model.)

1'0 a!!! whom it may concern: Beit known thatl, HERBERT E. PERCIVAL,

I of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,a citizen of the United States,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Clothes-Lines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in

which sections has a continuous metal bar, rod,

orIpart ending at each end in a loop or coupling, and which receives the direct strain of the line, and an integral bar, rod, or part bent from each end of each section and united thereto in a manner to provide spring holding jaws or nippers, which do not receive.

the strain of the line, but which simply act as holding sections, jaws, or nippers in con" nection with the straight part of the link or section.

The invention relates to other features of construction, which will hereinafter be described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents asection'j:of line, showing the manner in which clothes, &c., are held thereby. Fig. 2 is a view of a single link or section of the line enlarged. Fig. 3 is a detail view to illustrate the coupling or fastening of the ends of the link. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and '7 represent slight modifications of the construction, which are hereinafter referred to.

The line is made of a number of metal links or sections A joined together at their ends by carrying the wire rod or metal of one link through the opening of the next link in order before its ends are permanently fastened, and each link has the continuous bar, rod, or section a, which is straight, excepting at each end a, where it is bent or formed out of line with the straight portions to form a coupling recess and end a which shall bein line with the straight portion of the bar a, Q

and which receives and holds the like part of the adjacent link. This insures the straight draft of the line whenunder strain, and, also provides for the bringing of all the strain of draft upon the straight and continuous p0r- -tions of the links or sections A. The remainder of the wire rod or bar used in making each link or section is bent, curved, or formed from the ends to provide theopenings a and the jaws, nippers, or holders a,

which are parallel with the straight part a of the link, and the ends of which are covered and secured to each other and to the straight part of the link, preferably'by means of a clasp or binding-plate B, which isbent or wrapped about the ends and straight part of the link to clasp them together, (see Fig.3)

and is then looked in place by brazing or soldering or in any other desired way. I prefer to use galvanized wire in the manufacture of I these sections. It will be seen that bythis construction the draft of the line and the weight of the suspended clothes are borne almost if not quite entirely by the straight part a of the links or sections, and that this leaves the portions a of the links to act only as holders, nippers, or jaws in connection with the section a, there being practically nodraft upon them. l I

The advantages of the invention arise from the shape and construction of the links or sections of the line, whereby its division into a draft-section and a holding-section is provided, as the variation of weight upon the line cannot in any way affect to increase or diminish the holding-power 0f the individual jaws, nippers, or holders. In additionto this the line is cheaply made, and the ends-of the links or sections thereof covered and protected and prevented from catching or injuring the suspended clothes.

While I have described the line as made of metal, I would not be understood'as limiting myself to the use of that material, although probably it is the best that can be employed for the purpose.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a metal link having eyes 0 at each end, formed by twisting the ends of the wire of which the link is made about the main section or part of the wire, and the ends of this wire are carried parallel with the main part orsection of the link and form holding jaws or recesses; The ends of these extensions, preferably, are bent or curved over to form a smooth finish, as represented, to protect or cover the ends of the wire and prevent them from tearing the clothes.

In Fig. 7 another form of the invention is shown; but the same essential features exist-that is, there is a straight section of the link which receives the draft of the line and a separate section which forms the jaws, the jaws extending toward the ends of the link from a common opening, and the ends of the wire being secured together at one end of the link instead of at the center of the link, as represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

In Fig. 4: I represent a link like that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, with the exception that the ends of the wire are twisted or bent by the main section of the link to unite them thereto, instead of being secured thereto by a clasp, and in Fig. 5 I represent the link as having'a springd provided each jaw near its inner end or point of connection with the main section of the link.

In all of these difierent forms of my invention it willbe observed that each link or section A of the clothes-line comprises a draftbar or part a, which is straight and which extends longitudinally of the line and on which all of the longitudinal strain comes, and spring-jaws m, which are parallel, or approximately so, with the bar or part a, and between which and the said bar or part a the clot-hes are to be nipped by the pressure of the said spring-jaws.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 the bends a forming the openings a into which the clothes are to be inserted,give elasticity to the said jaws a the springs d in Fig. 5 somewhat augmenting this elasticity. In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 6 the nipping effect or elasticity of the jaws a is secured by the twisted portions, a and in the modification shown in Fig.7 this effect is provided for by the bends a forming the openings a', as well as by thetwisted parts of the wire adjacent to the end loops.

The longitudinal slackness aflorded to the jaws a by the bends of a in'Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7, and the fact that thejaws a in Fig. 6 are disconnected from each other in the middle part of the link or section, will prevent longitudinal strain from coming on the said jaws in such a manner as to cause them to be forced against the bar or part a, except by their resilience as spring-jaws.

Having thus fullydescribed myinvention, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A clothes-line consisting of a series of connected links, each of which has a single straight longitudinal draft part a and spring jaws a between which latter and the said parta the clothes are to be held by the resilience of said jaws without longitudinal strain on the latter, substantially as set forth.

2. A clothes-line consisting of a series of connected links A, each of which has a single straight longitudinal draft part a and spring jaws a, each of said links having at both ends coupling-recesses a in line with the said straight draft part a, substantially as set forth. 3. A clothes-line consisting of a series of connected links A, each of which has a single straight longitudinal draftpart aand springjaws a, connected with the 'saiddraft 'part a at both ends, substantially as set forth.

4. A clothes-line consisting of ,a series of connected links A, each of which hasa single I straight longitudinal draft parta and springjawsa, attached to the said part a, near the l middle of the latter, by aclasp B, substan- 1 tially as set forth.

. HERBERT E. PERCIVAL. Witnesses:

GEO. H. WILLIAMS,

0. B. TUTTLE. 

